They highlighted important areas of ongoing bilateral cooperation, including on climate change and implementation of the Iran nuclear deal. They also agreed on the importance of a strong and united international response to North Korea’s provocations, including through a UN Security Council Resolution that goes beyond previous resolutions. They agreed that they will not accept North Korea as a nuclear weapons state. Ambassador Rice and Foreign Minister Wang candidly discussed maritime issues, with Ambassador Rice urging China to take concrete steps to address U.S. and regional concerns. She emphasized strong U.S. support for upholding the principles of respect for international law, unimpeded lawful commerce, freedom of navigation and overflight, and peaceful resolution of disputes. Ambassador Rice also raised U.S. concerns about human rights developments in China.

President Obama joined the meeting to underscore his interest in building a durable, constructive, and productive U.S.-China relationship. He expressed the importance of the upcoming Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, DC, on March 31-April 1, 2016. He noted he looked forward to welcoming President Xi and China’s delegation to the Summit and to working together towards its success.